Just weeks after the largest North Sea oil spill in a decade, the coalition has today granted approval for two further offshore drilling projects, putting the government on a collision course with green groups that are campaigning against plans to drill in deepwater areas off the coast of Scotland.

Speaking at the annual Offshore Europe Conference in Aberdeen, energy minister Charles Hendry praised the UK's "thriving" oil and gas sector and confirmed approval has been granted to BP's Field Development Plan for Kinnoull, which is expected to produce up to 45,000 barrels of oil a day, and Chevron's Aberlour deepwater well off the west of Shetland.